Do you hate your alarm clock in the morning? There are a lot of reasons that you might dread going to work, but one of the reasons might be because your desk is overflowing with paperwork. If so, then you need to know the secret to happy filing so your day isn’t so dreadful.

People spend a lot of time at work. In most jobs, there’s some form of filing system and very often that’s what makes the difference between happy and unhappy staff. It’s also a major factor in the overall success of the business when you and your staff can find what is needed, when it’s needed, instead of wasting a lot of time searching through stacks.

Your first choice is the Trash/Recycle Bin:

This one is a favorite for many overworked staff members who toss everything they can into the trash. We suggest recycling or shredding as appropriate.

Unfortunately, you simply can’t get away with throwing out everything because so much of this paper contains valuable information and is needed, either now or in the future. This means that you must find another way to file these papers.

Your second choice is “The Stack”:

This is a great option if you have very little paper to deal with everyday, but when stacks of paper start to appear on your desk. Then more stacks appear on the floor, chairs, shelves and any other flat surface you can use, you have a surmountable problem.

If you have your own office, then it will inevitably become very cramped. If you decide to use this rather disorganized system, you’ll waste countless hours searching through the stacks to find specific files or documents that you need to work on. Experts estimate that 150 hours are wasted each year searching for lost items. There must be a better way.

Choice Number Three is Using an Alphabetical Filing System:

This type of document management system has been used for a long time as it doesn’t require the use of computers. A filing cabinet or set of drop files is the popular way to store files. However there are problems with this type filing system.

Different people may use varying titles and so file duplication can occur. As your company grows, so does the number of filing cabinets or shelves. Then it becomes increasingly difficult to file new material and locate previously filed documents. If a drawer gets too full, everything needs to be moved so that the alphabetical system remains in order. This can be a very tedious task. Lots of time and money get wasted on such an unproductive part of people’s jobs.

Your Fourth Choice Is Scanning:

Scanning can be a great way to reduce the amount of paper you use. The office doesn’t need as much storage for files because your filing can be more streamlined. This is a great method of filing IF you’re prepared to tolerate the poor quality of some documents and the fact that there are many types of items that can’t be scanned, such as bound documents, contracts that need to be kept in original paper form, etc. Of course, it also takes time to remove staples in a stapled file, and if you miss any, there will be a jam in the scanner to deal with.

Many people keep the originals in case the scanned documents create problems, thus causing double handling to occur and defeating the whole purpose of trying to streamline your filing system. Some have also said that they wind up reprinting more than they would have if they had just left their files in paper form.

In addition, good quality scanning equipment isn’t cheap and can also be expensive to maintain, not to mention storage of scanned documents. Such equipment can break down easily and cause havoc if there isn’t another option to use for your filing.

Finally We Come to Choice Number Five – Indexing!

It’s the 21st century, afterall. Why should you use methods that are cumbersome and costly in terms of time and money? Indexing is the answer!

You can still recycle when needed or keep track of archived files in a more efficient manner.

You won’t have to face the stacks of files and documents on a daily basis.

You can stop trying to figure out what your colleagues decided to label that file you need urgently.

You can return the expensive scanners you have out on lease.

You can keep your original papers intact with an indexing system software.

Indexing makes the labeling of files easy and consistent so everyone files the same way.

No longer will you have to waste hours looking for or recreating that lost document. You can simply conduct a search in the software’s database and instantly you know exactly where the searched file is located.

There are many advantages to an indexing system software:

Less time and money is spent on filing and retrieval.

Staff will actually enjoy coming to work.

Original documents can be kept intact and stored in whatever format you receive them.

The system is so easy to learn, everyone from the relief assistant to the CEO will be able to use it.

You don’t need extra machinery as you simply use existing computers and new software that pays for itself very quickly.

Use The Paper Tiger to create your own personal library. Remove or photocopy articles of interest from magazines or newspapers or print internet articles. File them now, and read them when you have time.